Process of vaporizing liquids and apparatus used in connection therewith



C. D. McCLINTOCK, DECD.

RIO GRANDE VALLEYIBANK & TRUST (30.. ADMINiSTR'ATOR. PROCESS OF VAPORIZING uoums AND APPARATUS USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH.

APPLICATION HLED DEC.7| I916.

Patented May 25, 1920 2 SHEETS---SHEET L mm MN A T/OR/VEY C. D. MCCLINTOCK; RIO GRANDE VALLEY BANK & TRUST 00,, ADMINISTRATOR. PROCESS OF VAPORIZING LIQUIDS AND APPARATUS USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH.

APPLICATION HLED DEC-7,1916.

Patented May 25, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

LnJIJJ A INVE/VOR omvzr I UITE PATENT FFICE.

GHARLES DAVID MOOLINTOCK, OF EL PASO, TEXAS; RIO GRANDE VALLEY BANK & TRUST 00., ADMINISTRATOR 01E SAID CHARLES DAVID MGCLINTOCK, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR T H. R. MOGLINTOCK, EL PASO, TEXAS, TRUSTEE, OF SIX-TENTHS FOR HIMSELF AND FOUR-TENTHS FOR MABEL BUCKINGHAM MOCLINTOCKAND ALDY'I'H MOCLINTOCK.

PROCESS OF VAPORIZING LIQUIDS AND APPARATUS USED IN CONNECTION THERE WITH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1920.

Application filed December 7, 1916. Serial No. 135,689.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES DAVID Mo- CLINTOCK, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of El Paso, county of El Paso, and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Vaporizing Liquids and Apparatus Used in Connection Therewith, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in process of vaporizing liquids and apparatus used in connection therewith, and refers more particularly to a process of vaporizing a hydrocarbon liquid such as gasolene or kerosene and then properly mixing it with air to form an explosive mixture and to that type of apparatus commonly classed as'carbureters.

The apparatus belongs to that class of carbureters used in internal combustion engines and involves a new principle wherein a desired and predetermined quantity of liquid hydrocarbon fuel is measured and deposited or delivered in the path of a turbulent stream of air, preferably heated and just preceding the mixture of the fuel with the greater body of air, which latter is preferably introduced at atmospheric temperature. Primarily the fuel supply controls are independently selective of the air controls and the final commingling or final mixture of the fuel and main body of air takes place just before the entry of the mixture to the working cylinders of the engine.

Among the salient objects of the invention are to provide a process in which not only the quantity of fuel and air can be definitely regulated; to provide a process 1n which a maximum efliciency of explosive mixture can be obtained due'to the independent and selective control both of the fuel and air supply; to provide a process in which more efficient and complete vaporization of the fuel is obtained, first, by causing it to pass in finely divided veins to the mixing chamber, second, by subjecting it to the action of a turbulent stream of air before it reaches the main body of air, and third, by preliminarily heating it as it passes to said turbulent stream of air and before it reaches the main body of the air whereby a homoand readily controlled by the operator; to

provide an apparatus in whichthe separatng of the fuel into finely divided streams is accomplished by means of tubes and nozzle; to provide an apparatus which is capable of handling a plurality of different kinds of fuel or a mixture of the same; to provide an apparatus in which the fuel supply may be cut off entirely and the air intakes opened to permit the cooling of the cylinders; to

provide an apparatus in which the valve control for the fuel can be operated independently of the main air valve and vice yersa; to provide an apparatus in which this mdependent and determined control can be accomplished instantly by the operator and at a point remote from the carbureter itself; to provide an apparatus in which the engine itself automatically controls the amount of fuel necessary for its most efficient operation and consumption; to provide an apparatus in which the feed of the fuel is controlled by' a flexible diaphragm and in which the diaphragm itself is so balanced that it will instantly respond to variations in the vacuum or partial vacuum acting on it; to provide an apparatus particularly characterized by its freedom from any necessity of nicety of adjustments and also characterized by its simplicity and economy of construction; to provide an apparatus which, by reason of its construction and principle of operation does not require a and in general to provide an improved process and apparatusof the character referred to.

In the present drawings I have shown the main views as applied to an internal combustion engine for use in motor cars and the like, although it is to be understood that in its broader aspects, the invention is struction shown in Fig. 1 with parts broken away and shown in section to bring out interior details of construction.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the capillary nozzle.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation'showing the device as equipped for use in a motor car.

Fig. 5 isa detailed sectional view of a modified form of construction showing a type of conical valve for use with the heavier fuels. 7 a

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of a further modified construction in which the diaphragm is mechanically regulated by means of a cam 'or other suitable mechanism.

In the present invention, the quantity of air and the quantity of fuel can be regulated absolutely independent of each other and the ratio of air to fuel or fuel to air can be definitely and positively determined. This fact should be constantly borne in mind in reading this specification.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 designates a main body of the device having at its front side a flange 2, and closed at its rear end by a cover or closure plate 4. Between the plate 4: and the main body of the device is interposed a flexible diaphragm designated 3. This diaphragm fits against a diaphragm seat 5, formed by a boss on the inner side of the closure plate 4. In a suit- 4 able aperture or recess of the main body of pressure.

the device, is rotatively mounted a vacuum valve 6, manually controlled and operated by lever 7. Between the diaphragm and the rear wall of the main body portion is formed a vacuum chamber 8, which communicates with the atmosphere through a small vent or duct 9, it being understood that this duct 9, merely tends to prevent a backvvacuu m in the vacuum chamber 8 when the valve 6 is closed and acts to keep the balance in the vacuum chamber at zero or atmospheric Between the rear face of the diaphragm and the inner wall of the closure plate 4 is formed the fuel chamber 10. This chamber 10 communicates as shown clearly in Fig. 1, with tubes 11, seated in .a suitable recess in the plate at and the tubes 11 in turn connected to a transverse duct 12, leading to a nozzle 13. Gasolene can be delivered to the chamber 10 through the supply duct 14 (see Fig. 1), formed in the plate 4 or a heavier fuel such as kerosene can be delivered to the chamber 10 through duct 15.'

The supply of fuel through these ducts is controlled by a manually operated three way valve 16, of well known construction.

In each of the fuel ducts 14: and 15 is inter-,

posed a check valve 17 to prevent such fuel as may be above the valve from flowing back to the supply tank. Supply tanks (not shown) are connected to the ducts 14 and 15 respectively through fuel lines 18.

Describing now the main air valve control, in the lower end of the main body 1 is mounted a slidable air valve 19, having an operating stem 20 and valve spring 21. The port A is formed in the main body 1 and a similar port A- -A is formed in the sliding valve 19. In the drawings, the valve is shown as closed. It can be opened to any desired degree by the distance the valve stem is raised.

At its upper end, the body-1 is provided with an auxiliary air inlet B, which leads to any source of heated air supply, such for example, as air heated from the exhaust ofthe engine in the case of motor car construction. At its front side, the flange 2 has a discharge port D leading to the engine cylinders. C designates the vacuum air port leading to the front side of the diaphragm and controlled by the valve 6 heretofore described. The carbureter initially can be put into operation by means of the priming cylinder 22 (see Fig. 2) havinga piston 23 and connecting stem or rod 24.

Referring again to the nozzle 13, it has a tubular part 25 at its upper end and at its lower end longitudinally extending slots 26, cut in the nozzle in such a way as to divide the liquid. fuel into a plurality of thin streams, or veins.

Before taking up the operation of the device, we will refer to'the modified forms of construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Under certain conditions such as under-slow moving engines, where heavy fuel is used it may be advisable to adopt a conical form of valve attached to the rear face of the diaphragm and moving with it. Such a construction is shown in Fig. 5. in which, to the diaphragm 8 is secured a conical valve 30, operated by the diaphragm and seating on the valve seat As the construction is otherwise as heretofore described it' need not be repeated in detail.

It may also prove advisable on large engines, requiring large quantities of fuel and close regulation for a constant supply of fuel, to provide mechanical means for regulating the operation of the diaphragm. To this end a positive stop actuated by mechanical means and affording micrometric adjustment is provided. Such a construcment of the diaphragm is controlled by a cam shaft 27 having a cam 28 and a spring lever 29, which is directly acted upon by the cam and in turn impinges against the dia phragm. The rotative'movement of'the shaft 27 and cam 28 is accomplished through the medium of suitable leverage mechanism. Where this style of control is used, the vacuum air ports C are made of ample size but not governed in any way bythe movement of the shaft but are allowed to remain open. The vacuum vent 9 is also not needed in this case. The action of the spring lever .29 is away from the diaphragm 3 so that the cam acts merely as an adjustable stop under the running condition as well as a positive closing device.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that if desired the fuel control valves and the air valves can be operated manually independently of each other. In certain cases, however, as for example, in motor cars, it IS desirable to control the fuel and air together from a single lever or throttle. To this end in Fig. 4, I have shown one means of connecting these two valves but in which the option to shutting off the fuel entirely is retained with the means for selecting and maintaining any desired ratio of fuel to air. The degree of richness of the fuel charge is easily adjustable and without disturbing the air valve.

Referring to Fig. 4, the air valve stem 20 is provided with a bracket or arm 31 securely fastened to and slidable with the stem. Connected to this arm 31 by means of a short link 32 is a slide lever 33. The slot 34 of this lever is engaged by sliding pin 35 made fast to the lower end of the long link 36. The lower end of this long link is slidable in the slot 84 by means of a rod 37, which is operated by suitable means from some point within easy reach of the operator, as for example at the dash of the motor car. The long link 36 is connected at its upper end with the vacuum valve lever 7. It will be seen that any desired relative movement between the vacuum valve 6 and air valve 19 may be had by changing the position of the pin 35, or withthe lower end of the long link 36 by means of the rod 37. It is apparent that if the pin 35 is placed at the point X (which is the hinge point in the slide lever 33) it will remain stationary and hold the vacuum valve 6 in its closed position. thus entirely shutting off the fuel while at the same time letting the air valve 19 be moved freely. Any ratio of movement may be accomplished byvmoving the pin 35 from the point X toward the extreme position at Y. This position is shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 4, indicating that both the vacuum valve 6 and air valve 19 are opened.

.. Leena The foregoing arrangement permits the air valves and fuel valves to be operated in unison but does not prevent ready and independent control of the fuel and air supply or their ratio to each other.

It is to be noted that a diaphragm mounted in this way and having a seat on one side in its normal plane cannot have a fixed vibration period. Under the action of atmospheric pressure on the fuel side and intermittent periods of partial vacuum on the vacuum side, such partial vacuum being caused by action of the engine, the dia phragm will move away from its seat 5 to return immediately; vibrating only once for each inspirating impulse. It is further to be noted that the vacuum produced by the action of the piston of a gas engine is nearly constant at normal speeds and that the vibratory movement of the diaphragm is controlled by the degree to which it is exposed to the vacuum. Closing the valve 6 entirely stops the movement of the diaphragm and no fuel is delivered to the fuel chamber as when the diaphragm is seated on the seat 5, the tubes are cut off from com munication with the tubes 14 or 15. Opening the vacuum valve 6 causes the diaphragm to move outwardly .and away from its seat producing a similar vacuum in the fuel chamber 10. It will be understood that the vacuum which is thus produced in the fuel chamber cannot act to draw the fuel from the lines 11, 12 and 13., because that line is affected by the same vacuum force going in the opposite direction or away from the fuel chamber.

The movement and quantity of fuel is regulated by the degree of movement of the diaphragm, which is directly controlled by the vacuum valve 6. The effect of the vacuum in the fuel chamber 10, aided as it i.-; by the second vacuum acting through the lines 11, 12 and 13 is'to draw fuel from the fuel tanks through the ducts 14 and 15 to the valve 16, check valve 17 and fuel lines 18. In this way, the carbureter is supplied with fuel and regardless of where the supply tank may be located. The function of the small check valves heretofore referred to is to prevent the liquid drawn into the fuel chamber 10, from returning to the fuel tank. Tn operation these small check valves 17 are assisted by the action of the capillaries which of course possess the property of resisting the action of gravity to a considerable extent. They are still further assisted in action by the inertia of the liquid column, moving as it does practically continuously in one direction. In addition, when the engine is'stopped the diaphragm resting on its seat 5 becomes an efiective valve to aid the small check valves to perform their function.

No fuel will enter the fuel chamber exltll cept through the vacuum action even if the the property of sustaining a liquid against the action of gravity, they are able to generally steady the flow of liquid and prevent Spurting, and the nozzle 13 has the still other valuable feature of dividing the liquid into several small thin veins or streams, thus obtaining the maximum surfaces for exposure to the heated air. It will be noted that the nozzle 13 extends into the path of the heated air current entering through the port B. The fuel may be said to run on the outside of this nozzle 13 instead of through it. -This feature is important inasmuch as it is highly desirable to as thoroughly vaporize the fuel as possible before it meetsand is commingled with the main air current.

We have heretofore referred to the vent 9 which is provided to establish a zero pressure point (atmospheric pressure) from which the vacuous condition may be gradually brought about by the opening of the vacuum valve 6. This action may be more fully understood if we start from that setting of the vacuum valve shown as closed in Fig. 4, when the vent 9 is opened to the atmosphere and no communication is provided between the engine and the vacuum chamber; now if we open the vacuum valve a little the diaphragm is not afiected because the vent 9 is still large enough to maintain atmospheric pressure in the vacuum chamber. A further opening of the vacuum valve will overbalance this condition and the diaphragm will come under the influence of the vacuous condition in whatever degree the vacuum valve may be 0 ened. This arrangement affords a very exible but positive beginning point from which to regulate the movement of the diaphragm and through it the quantity of thefuel' charge. This vent 9 also prevents the retention of a partial vacuum in the vacuum chamber after the valve 6 is closed.

I The action produced by thediaphragm is that of a positivepump with the capacity for minute adjustment of stroke. The small air port at B is fixed and will admit sufficient heated air to vaporize and draw the fuel and operate the engine at very light loads or idling. The major portion of air needed to support the combustion is of course regulated by the valve '19. The valve itself is permitted a slight independent movement to steady the velocity through the This obviates the necessity of mea re air valve actionis that it may be opened to its full capacity with the fuel shut ofl", thus allowing a free entry of pure air into the cylinders, cooling and cleaning them and permitting the engine to turn over with great freedom.

In its broader aspects the invention is not limited to any details or steps in the proc-' ess, or details of mechanical construction shown, except in so far as the same may be specifically limited in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1-. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a mixing chamber having a primary air inlet of a second air inlet, means for manually controlling the second air inlet, a fuel nozzle mounted adjacent the first air inlet, a diaphragm controlled by a vacuum pull of an engine, a fuel conduit leading to said nozzle and having ports controlled by said diaphragm and a valve member for shutting ofi the diaphragm from the action of said vacuum pull of the engine, said valve member being man- "ually controlled independently of the air valve control.

' 2. In an apparatus of the character de-.

scribed, the combination with a mixing chamber havlng a primary air inlet of a second air inlet, means for manually controlling the second air inlet, a fuel nozzle diaphragm controlled by a vacuum pull ofan engine, and a fuel conduit leading to said nozzle and having ports controlled by said diaphragm.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a casing,

having a mixing chamber and provided with an air inlet, a fuel nozzle for admitting fuel to the mixing chamber and diaphragm interposed in the rear ofthe mixing chamber and disposed to the direct vacuum pull of the engine, conduits connecting the fuel nozzle with the fuel supply and provided with ports controlled by the diaphragm and a manually controlled rotary valve interposed between the diaphragm and said vacuum pull and adapted to regulate the action of said vacuum pull on the diaphragm. 4

UARLES DAVID MGGLIN'IGCK. 

